roben



y 1931- s. D. ROBEN 1,806,919

METHOD AND DEVICE FOR VOICE CULTURE Filed Oct. 16, 1929 JE'MEN 0. R085 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented May 26, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT (OFFICE SEMEN D. ROBEN, F MOSCOW, UNION OF SOCIALIST SOVIET REPUBLICS METHOD AND DEVICE FOR VOICE CULTURE Application filed October 16, 1929, Serial N 0. 400,137, and in the Union of Socialist Soviet Republic.

December My invention relates to methods and devices for voice culture and has a particular reference to devices adapted to stimulate certain face muscles in training ones voice for singing as well as in training the voice of stutterers, stammerers or lispers for correct speaking.

In singing and speaking it is Very important to properly control the facemuscles which operate the resonators (the mouth with its cavity, throat and nasal cavities). Few persons have a natural ability for such control. The beginners in public speaking and singing usually only unduly strain their neck muscles leaving the face muscles inactive, and

stammerers by birth or malady are curable only with great difliculty.

I discovered that the important face muscles can be stimulated to the proper activity by certain mechanical irritations, for instance, by lightly pressing on these muscles, or, even, by placing near these muscles objects of certain form and weight.

' Such light irritations produce contractions or reflexes in the important muscles causing them to operate the resonating cavities. By proper selection of the points of irritation it is possible to activate the particular roups of muscles thereby assisting the spea or or singer to operate the resonating cavities until the desired effect is obtained. By this method the speaker or singer gradually acquires the ability to control these muscles even without my device thereby greatly improving the qualities of his voice.

For this purpose I use a mask of a special shape with a number of projections. This mask is placed on the persons face in such manner, that the projections produce reflexes in the important muscles.

My invention is more fully described in the accompanying specification and drawings in which- Fig. 1 is a side View of my mask on the persons face, Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the mask, Fig. 3 in an inside View of same, Fi 4 is a sectional View taken on the line 44 (Fig. 3), and Fig. 5 is a sectional View taken on the line 5-5 (Fig. 3).

My mask consists of an upper (1) and lower (2) portions withside slots 3 between them. These slots provide the necessary openings for the wearers eyes.

The lower portion has a deep and narrow recess l for the wearers nose with a projection or ridge 5 around it which is adapted to press on the muscles on the sides of the nose. Additional projections 6 are provided for the cheek muscles.

On the outside of the mask there are enlarged portions? and 8 which also assist to cause the reflexes.

The upper portion 1 has a row of projections 9 adapted to press on the muscles of the forehead.

The mask is placed on the wearers'face as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, so that its lower edge '10 catches and lifts the upper lip of the wearer. The mask is held in this position by hand, varying the pressure on the lower or upper portions so as to cause'or accentuate the necessary reflexes or to actuate the particular groups of muscles. The wearenis then to proceed with the speaking or singing practice.

A certain irritation of the face muscles renders them active and, by this action, releases the muscles of the neck which are correlated with the face muscles. I found that such mechanical stimulation of the face muscles renders them more active and more susceptible to the beginners efforts to properly control them, causing also a certain relief for the neck muscles.

The mask can be made of any suitable material, such as a plastic composition, celluloid, paper, metal etc. i

The shapeof the mask may be varied in accordance with particular requirements or anatomy of the beginner, also in accordance with the form of his face. A special good success can be further attained by beginning with a small and light mask covering only the nose and the upper lip, and by then using graduated heavier masks containing the parts opposed to the cheeks and to the forehead.

Important advantages of my mask are that it provides an easy and quick method for teaching speaking and singing and for the voice culture, it is simple and convenient for operation and cheap to manufacture.

I claim as my invention 1. A method for training voice, consisting in applying pressure mechanically to the upper portion of the singers face and supporting the singers upper lip in a raised position.

2. A method for training voice, consisting in applying pressure by'mechanical means. to the singers nose and foreheadand supporting by said means his upper lip in a raised position.

3L A device for training voice, consisting of a mask With cavities and projections conforming to the upper portlon of the singers face, the lower portion of said mask being adapted to support the singers lip in a raised position. 7

V 4. A device'for training voice, consisting of a mask With cavities and projections, the lower portion of said mask being'adapted to support the singers lip in a raised position,

and said projections on the upper portion of said mask being adapted to press on the sides of the nose and on the forehead of said singer.

5. A device for training voice, consisting of a mask provided with a cavity for the singers nose and With projections adapted to press on the singers cheeks at the sides of his nose, the lower portion of said mask being adapted to support the upper lip of said singer in a raised position, when said mask is applied to said singers face.

, Signed at Berlin, Germany, this 1st day of October A. D. 1929. I

SEMEN D. ROBEN. 

